412 Lieut. C. G. FIuch-Davies un [Ibis, 



occasions. Adults are usually seen in pairs, single birds 

 as a rule being- immature or young. They look very 

 liandsome stalking along over the veldt. The long tail and 

 crest, together with the black thighs, which contrast strongly 

 with the slate-grey plumage, combine to give them a pecu- 

 liarly fine appearance. Although I have never found them 

 jjarticularly wild, they generally keep well out of gunshot, 

 and if approached too closely, at first run with outstretched 

 wings at a good pace, and then, if still pursued, rise and 

 fly off. I have heard it stated that they can be caught with 

 dogs, or by pursuing them on horseback. I should think 

 this must be very unusual, as I have never seen them have 

 any difficulty in rising and flying off as far as they wished, 

 and have often seen them soaring at a great height — once 

 while partridge-shooting high up on the Drakensberg Moun- 

 tains, I saw one high overhead. Certainly, when there is 

 little or no wind, they seem to have a little difficulty in 

 rising quickly, requiring to run for some distance before 

 they launch themselves into the air. 



There has been much discussion from time to time as to 

 whether this bird should be protected by law. Formerly it 

 was protected owing to its supposed snake-killing propen- 

 sities; but this protection has now been withdrawn, owing 

 to the fact that it has been found harmful to game. 

 Personally I am of the opinion that this tine species should 

 be granted the fullest protection, for the reason that it is 

 nowhere common enough to do any real harm to the stock 

 of game. Certainly it does destroy game-birds, chiefly 

 the young and eggs. I had only to watch a pair beating 

 over the veldt to understand that little that moves can 

 escape them, and I have taken from the crop of one 

 specimen three young quails, half a dozen larks' or pipits^ 

 eggs, a rat, a lizard, and a small night-adder. On the 

 other hand, it destroys a very large number of rats, mice, 

 locusts, etc. Near a tree in which was a nest of this 

 species, I found hundreds of " castings '^ ; these were the 

 size and shape of an ordinary sausage, and on examination 

 proved to consist almost entirely of the bones and fur 



